"Animals, Humans and Public Health," a symposium to explore the common interests of human and veterinary medicine in dealing with food safety, infectious disease, and other health issues, will be presented by the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM) on Friday, Sept. 18, on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.
E.coli H:157, salmonella in poultry, "Mad Cow Disease," rabies epidemics, and anthrax threats in biological warfare are just a few of the issues that have recently catapulted veterinary medicine into the headlines.
"Veterinary medicine protects and enriches human life by promoting the quality of our food supply, controlling infectious diseases that threaten people and animals, and fostering the health and well-being of our beloved pets," says VMRCVM Dean Peter Eyre.
Physicians have traditionally looked to veterinary medicine for contributions in biomedical research, and increasingly, in appreciation of the psycho-social benefits of the human-animal bond.
Scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and U.S. Department of Agriculture, and several distinguished experts on the human-animal bond will discuss different aspects of the human/animal health interaction and the complex relationship that binds people and animals.
Presentations include "Origins of the human-animal partnership," by Eyre. A veterinary pharmacologist and dean of the college since 1985, Eyre is one of the nation's leading veterinary educators. He is active with numerous national veterinary medical organizations and is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association's Council on Government Relations.
"Physical and emotional value of the human-animal bond," will be presented by Dr. Sandra B. Barker, associate professor of psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University's Medical College of Virginia, a licensed professional counselor and one of the nation's leading researchers and educators in the human/animal bond.
"Pet assisted therapy, present and future," will be presented by Maureen Fredrickson, vice president, programs of the Renton, Washington-based Delta Society, a renowned clinical and education center dedicated to the study of the relationship between people and animals.
Carol Willoughby, who co-founded and serves as director of the Saint Francis of Assisi Service Dog Foundation in Roanoke, Virginia, will present, "St Francis of Assisi Service Dog Foundation." Partnered with a service dog since 1986, Carol has been an advocate for the disabled for many years.
Dr. Bonnie Buntain, director, Animal Production Food Safety Staff, of the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service will present the keynote address "Food Safety from Farm to Table," a presentation that will discuss emerging food safety threats and government strategies for containing them.
"Human health consequences of the use of antibiotics in animals" will be presented by Dr. Frederick James Angulo, Medical Epidemiologist and Chief, Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) Activity of the National Center for Infectious Diseases at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.